Joystiq [PlayStation]

{ Aug 18th 2009 at 1:00PM }

Despite the interesting "Trans-Port" technology and the lower price, we'd have to say that the defining characteristic of the Nyko Wand is its ugliness. The four new colors for the device, in our opinion, help ameliorate that ugly factor. It could be because the red and blue buttons are gone in favor of a more monochrome look, or it could be because it's slightly harder to compare these to the stock Wiimote. These four color options will be available in North America and Europe this holiday season. They have already launched in Japan, along with many other colors.

Nyko also announced the Charge Base IC, an induction charging dock that uses magnets to hold controllers in place, and also features a USB port for charging other items.

Gallery: Nyko Wand (Wii) new colors

{ Aug 12th 2009 at 10:15AM }

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall on the "Psyclone Essentials and React Wii 4-Dock Battery Recharge Stations." There are approximately 220,000 of them out there in people's homes and the battery packs (remember, it's a recharge station) can overheat "posing a burn or fire hazard to the consumer." Six incidents have been reported to the agency, with two people reporting minor burns to their hands.

The recalled products are distributed by Griffin International and were sold in Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy and Amazon. The Psyclone recharge stations have apparently had problems for a while: we first reported issues with the product back in 2007. Caveat emptor!

[Via GamePolitics]

{ Jan 4th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Are you tired of dealing with the tumbleweed of cords responsible for siphoning power into your GBA SP, DS Phat, DS Lite, DSi, and your three different PSP models? Do you only have seven bucks with which to remedy said problem? Are you brave enough to trust a third-party company whose promotional materials feature glaring typos (we trust you can find it in the above image) with moving electricity from one of your expensive electronic devices into another? Can we turn your attention to Brando's 7-in-1 USB Charging Cable, the perfect gift for those who meet the criteria listed above? Can we write this whole post only using interrogative sentences? Yes, we can. Aw, crap.

{ Dec 22nd 2008 at 4:32PM }

Back in January of 2007, a fire raged through a Kentucky home. The victims of the fire were compensated according to their insurance coverage. But, now that insurance company has filed a complaint (warning: pdf link) against Nintendo with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky yesterday, stating "The [DS] was defective in design, manufacture and/or because it failed to warn consumers as to dangers associated with it... due to defects existing within the Product which caused a risk of overheating and fire, the Product was recalled by Nintendo."

The Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company is seeking the 263,000 they paid out to the family, as well as court costs and interest.

Gallery: Accessories your DS can't live without

{ Nov 20th 2008 at 4:30PM }

Click image for a closer look at the Quad Charger

Nyko is doubling the effectiveness of their previous charging dock, adding two more slots and two more NiMH rechargeable battery packs to the mix. Dubbed the Nyko Quad Charger, the new charging station will be available in North America next month, just in time for the holidays, and will cost you $49.99.

Hit up our gallery below for a closer look at the docking station.

Gallery: Nyko Quad Charger

We've spent some time with other Nyko gadgetry before. Just recently, we put the Wing wireless controller through its paces, as well as the Kama Wireless Nunchuck and the Perfect Shot. Don't forget about their Frontman guitar, either. And, please, take a minute to remember the dearly de-partied Party Station.

{ Sep 18th 2008 at 7:11PM }

Teknocreations has unveiled their InCharge battery pack and charge stand for Wiimotes. The new stand uses a set of lithium polymer batteries, which, according to the press release, are half as heavy as other rechargeables and work over hundreds of charges. Each charge provides 25 hours of gameplay. The stand can charge two Wiimotes side-by-side.

But all of that is just a leadup to the real magic trick that separates this thing from other chargers: it charges without any metal contacts, and will charge a battery through a silicone cover. If you actually use your Wii Remote Jackets, you can leave them on when you dock your Wiimotes to charge. That is really, really cool. No word on whether or not this charger will melt your controllers.

{ Jul 21st 2008 at 4:15PM }

Here's some advice for any Brits currently in need of a new DS charger: don't skimp on it. The consumer protection folks at Trading Standards have stated that there are "hundreds of thousands, or even millions" of unsafe AC power adaptors on UK high streets. The cheap (about £6) chargers originated from China, and have exposed wires and ill-fitting pins that can cause the adaptor to overheat, or even electrocute owners, like the poor Pig Slaves above! Yeep!

Versions labeled for the DS Phat, DS Lite and Game Boy are said to be among the biggest culprits, while a fake European CE safety mark appears on many. These might not just be limited to shadier outlets, either -- apparently, several retailers are stocking them, which could mean any of the bigger stores. We suggest using this as an excuse to pick up Hori's effortlessly stylish DS Lite Charge Stand.

[Via MCV]

{ Jul 11th 2008 at 11:25PM }

There aren't usually a lot of devices who can follow through on their claim that they can 'do it all'. Sure, being able to vacuum and cook up a delicious waffle is interesting, but then your carpet smells like a waffle, too. This is why we're pretty interested in the potential of this new PSP charger stand -- it does it all!

While your PSP charges on the stand, you can listen to music and even play stuff on your TV. It comes with built-in headphone jacks and multi-card slots. It's essentially got all the functionality of a non-charging PSP, and it's just under $17. If you're looking for a charging solution, this might be your cup of tea.

[Via DCEmu]

{ May 6th 2008 at 10:35PM }

We hope you haven't already put in a preorder for Hori's upcoming DS Lite Charge Stand! When we last previewed this accessory, Play Asia had put up a product page promising to deliver the stylish dock to your doorstep for $16.90 (plus $5.90 s/h) once it debuted in Japan this month.

Checking the online import shop earlier today, we spotted a pair of notable details, bad news and good news, if you will:.

Bad news: The charging base's shipping date has been moved to May
Good news: There is now a listing for the White DS Lite Charge Stand bearing a US flag, scheduled for June and priced at $14.99.

Is Hori's North American arm planning to bring the dock to the states as it has with many of the company's other DS accessories? If so, it might worth waiting an extra month to pick up the Charge Stand at a local store for a few bucks less. Hit the gallery below for glamour shots of the White and Black models.

Gallery: Hori DS Lite Charge Stand

{ Apr 29th 2008 at 9:00AM }

Perhaps it's just our affinity for electric gadgets in general, but as we set up our DS for its routine charge, we wondered if many of you out there also had your handheld on a prescribed regiment of "the good juice." You know, the kind of juice you can jack on with.

So do you have a special place set aside for charging? Do you not play that often and only charge when necessary? Charge in the car? How do you keep the games going on your DS?

{ Mar 10th 2008 at 11:15AM }

With Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, and even Yoshi-themed Wii casemods already out in the wild, it was only a matter of time before someone personalized their console with everyone's favorite mascot, Mario. BeerBellyJoe sculpted the plumber's figure out of clay, affixing him to one of the Wii's side panels before painting the entire system. Interestingly, that cloud looks nothing like the bush!

It isn't visible in the image above, but there's a pipe on the other side that doubles as a Wii remote charger. The front of the decorated base also has an extra USB port and an LED mushroom that lights up when the port is in use. Hit the gallery below for more shots or click the "read" link to check out Joe's guide on how to make your own Mario Wii mod.

Gallery: Super Mario Bros. mod

[Via Technabob]

{ Feb 7th 2008 at 2:02AM }

React's Wii Recharge Dock isn't just a little bit late to the party but, at $50, it's a little pricier than some of the competition. But then we got to figuring that since it charges the four included 550 mAh batteries in four Wiimotes, not just two, the proportional value is clear. And considering the Wiimote is scientifically proven to eat batteries the way Mario downs mushrooms, some of you might consider a device such as this nothing short of a necessity, what with Brawl coming soon and all.

Continued →

{ Feb 4th 2008 at 9:00AM }

Horror of horrors -- last night, while vacuuming, someone in the house (read: not your current writer!) stripped the cable of the DS Lite charger. After the tears and accusations, it occurred to us that hinge cracks and falls aren't the only accidents that can befall our beloved handhelds. Anything similar happen to yours? We know lost games can be a problem, and we've heard about lost styli. Tell us about the worst things that have happened to your handhelds. What did you do? We'll be calling Nintendo today and hoping some kind soul will send a new charger over.

{ Jan 5th 2008 at 6:00PM }

Since the official DS Lite AC Adapter is a much better way to go about charging your DS than the crank we showed you earlier today, we thought we'd let you know that this accessory happens to be Amazon's video game related "Deal of the Day."

We assume that this is a useless deal for most of you, since DS Lites come with one, but we're sure some of you have either misplaced yours or want an extra for traveling. Still, be careful; while the adapter is marked off by $5 (meaning that it only costs $10), you'll have to pay for shipping unless you're a Prime member or find $15 worth of other merchandise to add to your cart. Without the free shipping, this really isn't much of a deal at all.

{ Jan 5th 2008 at 2:00PM }

Accessories often range from useful to "why, oh why," and we think this crank is the most pointless of them all. We're so dumbfounded that we had no other choice but to show you, dear reader, and have you scratch your head along with us.

Maybe if you got somebody to crank this for you while you played to keep the battery alive, and you also didn't mind the screeching noise that came with it, it'd be useful ... right?

No, we didn't think so either.